Both
lp
, the System V printing system, and
lpr
, the Berkeley Software Distribution
(
BSD
) printing system, provide remote printing
options. These allow a computer to print to a printer that is
physically connected to a different computer. Obviously, in a local
area network this is highly desirable; you shouldn't need
as many printers as you have machines. However, the remote printing
options are both insecure and inefficient as ways to transfer data
across the Internet. There is no reason to allow them. If you have a
need to print at a site across the Internet, or to allow another site
to use your printers, it's possible to set up special mail aliases
that print the mail on receipt. This is the method many companies use
even across in-house wide-area networks because it's considerably
more reliable.